English

Alternative forms

• (with the first element, half, preserved) halfepenny, halfepeny, halfepenie, halfepenye; halfpenny, halfpeny, halfpenie, halfpenye (all obsolete except halfpenny)
• (with the first element reduced to hal-, ha’, or ha-) halpeny, halpenye, hapeney, ha’penny, hapenny, happenny (all obsolete except ha’penny)
• (with the first element corrupted to haw-) hawpny (dialectal, obsolete)

Noun

halfpenny ‎(plural halfpennies or halfpence)

1. (plural: halfpennies) (historical) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
   • Christmas is coming (traditional carol)

     If you haven't got a penny, / A ha'penny will do, / If you haven't got a ha'penny, / Then God bless you.

2. (plural: halfpence) A quantity of money worth half a penny.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, As You Like It (act III, scene 2)

     There were none principal; they were all like one another as halfpence are; every one fault seeming monstrous till his fellow fault came to match it.

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair

     "If a pound of mutton-candles cost sevenpence-halfpenny, how much must Dobbin cost?"

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

halfpenny ‎(not comparable)

1. Costing or worth one halfpenny.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part 2 (act IV, scene 2)

     There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer.